Tonight MoB contributor Pete Donohue and I had dinner at the Comet Cafe on Farwell. Their Spinach Salad is recommended. Over the course of the evening we discussed the greatness that is/was Beck’s Sea Change album. I can remember the day I listened to that album for the first time. I bought it on release day, right as the store opened for business. These were the days before album leaks, when the physical product was the name of the game.
He shared his experience of catching Beck with the Flaming Lips serving dual duty as openers and backing band in his home state of New York on the Sea Change tour. I was jealous to say the least. His recollections reminded me of coming home late to catch Beck running through “Nobody’s Fault But My Own” on Austin City Limits. It wasn’t a gentle tug on your heart, it was an all-out removal from the body. While I hadn’t seen that video since that airing, I still remember the stillness in the room as I watched Beck bare his soul on public television. The internet brings me back to that night.
Beck – “Nobody’s Fault But My Own” (Austin City Limits, 2002)
Ryan, thanks for posting this. I wonder if I speak for many in saying I wished Beck would again dabble in the singer/songwriter/folkish realm of Sea Change and stuff like “Nobody’s Fault But My Own.” Don’t get me wrong – I love Modern Guilt and Midnite Vultures especially, but I feel Beck on his own is top.
By the way, if anybody gets a chance to see a show at the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse, NY, do so. It’s where I saw Beck and the Flaming Lips and the venue is excellent.
Sea Change was released right as I was going through a harsh breakup. I listened to the album constantly for a time and it helped me deal with the myriad of feelings I was experiencing. It remains my favorite Beck album to date and I can’t thank him enough for releasing the album when I needed it the most.
that record will stand the test of time,
a true masterpiece that i play at least
once a month or so.